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Wild Plant Forager Q&A session

27/1/2014

I receive a lot of emails from you all on a daily basis. I am grateful for that, because I love to get feedback and hear from you. But here's the thing: while I do my very best to answer each and everyone of them, I always regret how the reply only gets to one person at a time, while this may be useful information for others as well.

That's why I have decided to do a Q&A session, so you get a chance to ask all your questions and get them answered here.

How does it work? You can either

Send me a private message through the contact form (make sure to mention "Q&A" in your email).
Reply in the comment section below.
Write a comment through facebook or twitter.

I'll be gathering all your questions and do a line-up by February 10th.

So don't be shy. I love to hear from you. My overall goal is to dismantle the barriers that keep people from using their local wild plants. There are no dumb questions.

Have a weed in your garden and want to know how to use it?
Looking for some iron-rich wild edibles?
Need to know what plants are safe to start with if you are new to the whole foraging thing?
Want some simple recipe tips?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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Give the gift that keeps giving: DIY seed packets.

26/11/2013

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I may be slightly obsessed. With seeds. These Russian matroesjka analogues have entered my realm never to leave. Their live giving force seems strong enough to convince anyone that we can change the world, one seed at a time.

Seeds are the gift that keeps giving. When our twins were born, we gave out personalized seed packets as a gift to all of our baby visitors. My kids are turning 5 next spring and still people report me about the offspring of those gifted (annual) seeds. I adore hearing these stories.

We love to send out seeds by post to friends living abroad, and we take these tiny treasures with us when we travel. They are small, light and compact (okay, unless it would be a coconut I guess, which is a seed too) and make the perfect hand-out to friendly and helpful people you meet while travelling. Just make sure to check with local laws and regulations, you don't want to introduce harmless plant species to an area where they don't have any natural enemies and will become invasive.

So how about seeds as a gift for the upcoming holidays? Gifting your self-collected seeds may seem like the perfect low-impact gift, and it is. But at the same time, seeds are gifts with a big impact: on the bees, the butterflies, the local wildlife, the soil . They will heal the soreness in your eyes from seeing things that don't make you happy. They will uplift your soul. Believe me, they will.

Below are some resources for ideas and free printables. Enjoy! Oh, and tell the receivers to store those seeds cool enough, in a dry place, until that special day the will meet the soil. A real treasure should be kept properly.

Frugal Living has these colourful designs that will brighten up anyone's day.

Now this is something cool. Seedy business cards. Love it!

And how cute are these from The LemonDrop Tree?

My vanilla pods come in glass tubes like these. I've been saving them for some project. Celebrate Creativity just helped me find what project that is.

CafeGarden has a bunch of lovely designs: poppies, hollyhocks, butterflies, ants, Alice in Wonderland, you name it!

Wouldn't this Eva Black Design be great for ramsons (wild garlic) bulbs under the Christmas tree? This way, you could give someone free garlic forever. Am I the only one who thinks that sounds horrendously good?

Looking for bright graphics? Take a look at Just Something I Made. Lots of designs to choose from.

Wraps for seed packets from Good Gravy Designs. I would have never thought of that.

This, folks, is my own favourite way. Origami seed envelopes. I have folded these countless times, and they work. No scissors needed, no glue, and that's great, because most of the time, when I'm gathering seeds, I'm in the field. Maggie Wang tells you how to make them. Or use the step-by-step instructions from Live In Art.

One of my friends brought seed packets similar to this one to the seed swap I hosted. She had sewn them and stamped on the name of the seeds. The effect is fabulous. My own labels shows you how to do this.

And how about putting the seeds IN the actual paper? This sounds like a fun project for birthday cards as well. Gracious rain has a detailed tutorial. So has Happy Hour Projects.

And this is my way to save dandelion seeds. In a glass jar. Because every dandelion seed is a wish, right? You can go out and blow a wish whenever you feel the need to do so. You may think I'm weird (and I am, but harmless), but somehow blowing away dandelion seeds and seeing them fly away gives me comfort when someone dies. Especially when this someone was a dandelion lover like I am.

After all, every seed is a never ending new beginning.

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Wild Plant Forager Manifesto

16/10/2013

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Wild food recipe: grain free granola with foraged nuts and fruits

27/9/2013

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Blackberries and elderberries. These mark for me the turning point between summer and autumn. One last good look at the countless varieties of green - soon the leaves will reveal their true colours.
There's so much to gather at this time of the year that I hardly find the time to blog. Rowan berries, hazelnuts, walnuts, apples, acorns, rose hips, hop bells and more. I'm in love with the deep, rich scent of the soil at this time of the year.

And it's funny how things come together sometimes. I was just thinking how I wanted to find an abandoned orchard when a friend called me to tell me her apple trees had a drastic overload of ripe fruit. She had so much of them that she was feeding them to the (drooling) deer. It only took me 5 minutes to get to her door step.

Usually a lot of apples are ripe at the same time and many people simply don't have the time to process them and they hate to see all that rotting fruit on the ground. If you ask around at this time of the year, there surely are some hidden fruit treasures to find. As they say, the apple does not fall far from the tree. It's yours to pick it up.

But let's see what we can do with these autumn fruits and nuts, other than place them in a basket in the living room (where they disappear fast, I can tell you).
I made this granola. Well, it's not just granola, it's a story. It's September transformed into a mixture of flavours.

The apple star story has always been one of my favourites. It seems to fit this time of the year so perfectly. And it makes eating apples so much more magical.

I also vividly remember the challenge as a child to peel a whole apple trying to keep the peel in one piece. You'd be lucky if you could do that. I've had a lot of practice and after peeling two big bags full of apples, I can now happily announce that I surely have tons of good luck coming my way.

Here's what you need:
But honestly, don't worry too much about the exact measures in the recipe. This granola is so versatile you can switch with other nuts and seeds, and change the amounts easily.

1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup beech nuts
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup dried fruit (I used foraged apples and some cherries. Had some dried raisins in the cupboard as well, which I tossed in)
1/3 cup of coconut oil
1 to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey
zest of 1 (organic) orange
a pinch of spices you like: cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla

Optionally you can soak the nuts and seeds overnight, strain off the soaking water and let them dry for a few hours.

First, chop the nuts in smaller pieces. Use a food processor or alternatively, place them in a clean towel, go wild and smash them with a hammer. Preparing food can be such fun.

In Ireland there were 3 trees of high importance: the apple tree for its beauty, the oak for its strength and the hazel for its wisdom. These trees were so sacred that cutting them down or damaging them led to death penalty. (Ok, I'm not particularly a fan of the death penalty part, but honestly, I like the respect people used to have for trees. We owe our lives to them -food, medicine, oxygen, to name a few- and the way I see them treated sometimes is a splinter in my eye. There, I've said it. Off my soapbox now.)

As I don't have an oven for the moment, I prepared this in a large cast iron pan. I'm sure you can make it in the oven or dehydrator as well.

On a very low fire, heat the coconut oil until melted. Add the seeds, chopped nuts and spices. Stir frequently until they are very slightly roasted to the level where the pumpkin seeds break open (they seem to dance and make some music). Turn off the heat (using cast iron will hold the heat so it will continue to keep warm for a while).

Now add the dried fruits (if you use larger pieces like apricots, plums, apples: chop them up first) and the orange zest.

Last step: add the maple syrup or honey. Here's my secret: I had some honey in the cupboard that I infused with a combination of elder flowers and wild rose petals. To tell you the truth I don't even want to share this information with you and keep the secret to myself, but it tastes like heaven. If you are looking for a risk free investment: put that on your to do list for next year.

Walnuts were often used as a love oracle. When two nuts were laid in the fire and they kept close together, it was a sign for a harmonic marriage. But when the nuts cracked and jumped, it predicted a stormy marriage.

My Czech friend Lenka told me in her home country they make candles in the nut halves and let them float on water on New Year's day. Everybody keeps a close eye to their own candle. If your nut halve clashes with another one, it predicts trouble with that person for the upcoming year. If the candle floats calmly side by side with someone else's, you'll have a lovely time with that person. - Must try this out, it seems like so much fun to do, especially with the kids.

When cooled off, store the batch in an airtight glass jar. Eat as it is or with some home made almond milk or yoghurt. You can add some fresh fruits, chia seeds, whatever you like. I have used some foraged plantain seeds and walnuts. (The reason I haven't put these in the basic mixture is because they tend to go rancid rather fast once opened).

I tell you: September is the new flavour.

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Treasures from the sea: how to harvest and dry your own seaweed

2/9/2013

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No, this is not a gnome's dirty laundry. This is my 4 year old son's souvenir from a day at the coast. Hand picked seaweed, drying on the line. Have you ever wanted to harvest your own? Then I have some good news for you: it's super easy. Easier than going to the store and buying some.

Seaweeds are ridiculously good sources of minerals, and true iodine bombs. Other than land plant species, they are are a complete source of protein. Because seaweed grows in the sea, it has a natural salty taste. It's also one of the school examples of umami flavour.

And here's the perfect news for all beginners in foraging who are stopping themselves to do it because they are frantic with worry about picking toxic species: none of the marine species are toxic. Not all of them are pleasant in taste though, but species like sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) and dulse (Palmaria palmata) are very easy to find, and delicious. You've probably seen sea lettuce countless times on trips to the beach. It looks like a head of lettuce floating in the sea. Next time you'll spot it, you'll know it IS a head of (sea) lettuce floating in the sea.

Pick and wash thoroughly. This may surprise you, as the plant comes right out of the water, but especially on sandy coasts a lot of sand may come off.

Remove any stones or shells attached to the plants.

Make a fancy DIY drying line, using some sophisticated tools such as the trunk of a tree, a couple of twigs and some raffia. You can use any kind of rope, but as the seaweed dries, it hardens and then it's really easy to slide it off if you have a smooth rope. It will dry completely in only a couple of hours!

Dancing in the sea just a few moments before, and now dancing in the wind.

See the sea creature in this one?

Watch that green of the sea lettuce. Personally, I can't get enough of it.

And there you have it: dried seaweed.

We love this in vegetable stock or miso soup, sprinkled on avocados or in cucumber salads.
It's also one of the ingredients we use for making our own herbal salt.

Here's the recipe:

2/3 cup sea salt
1/3 cup chopped herbs, anything you have in your herb garden, this time we used thyme, rosemary, parsley, hyssop, lovage, lemon balm, nasturtium leaves... and some seaweed

You can use the herbs either dried or fresh. I prefer to use them fresh, as the salt breaks down the plant cell walls and really draws out the good aromas, but the downside is that your salt will be slightly more crumbly. You could add some rice to solve this, but personally I don't bother too much as it will dissolve anyway when you use it in the kitchen.

To prepare the herbal salt, put herbs (including seaweeds) with salt in a blender and mix. Put in jar, label, done. How easy was that? Now you have year-round access to the summer herbs of your garden. And the sea.

The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

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Foraging linden: which parts are edible, and how to use them?

15/7/2013

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Linden tree
Tilia cordata (other Tilia species can be used as well)
Other names: Lime tree, Basswood
Dutch: Linde
French: Tilleul
German: Linde
Spanish: Tilia

Linden flower aroma is filling the air. Usually you notice this tree first with your ears (the buzzing bees gathering the nectar) and your nose. Linden comes in many forms: the very old grandmother trees (they grow old, more than a thousand years!) that we see here in villages, the espalier linden in formal gardens, the city trees that tell tales from long gone.
Linden trees tell us more about history than we would think at first sight. In most big European cities there are long linden lanes that lead to old hospital sites. These were planted to supply the hospitals with linden flowers for infusion that was given to patients with fever and soldiers waiting for medical care. In fact, one of my students told me she was hospitalized in Berlin once and she was offered linden flower tea. Maybe more hospitals should do this. I'm sure it would bring comfort to a lot of people coping with the ordeal of being hospitalized.

Here in Belgium you will find Mary shrines abundantly in villages, and they are nearly always built in Linden trees. The statue of Mary was traditionally also carved in linden wood. It's very soft wood, very suitable for carving toys, furniture, musical instruments, clogs and wooden nativity scenes as well. In pre-Christian times, linden was the tree of Freya, goddess of fertility, love, justice and bliss.

Linden has since long been a popular 'fever tree' in Europe. People would bring little pieces of clothes that belonged to sick people and tie or nail them to linden trees. This is not so crazy, since linden blossom is a diaphoretic herb that makes you 'sweat out' the fever. Its no coincidence that some of the 'Mary trees' now have become places of pilgrimage that are loaded with tiny body parts made in wax to pray for healing. Though the shape shifted, the custom is still the same.

The heart shaped leaf has since long been linked with love (Freya being the goddess of love, remember?), and when two people wanted to get married in the old days, they simply pressed their thumbs against a linden trunk with the whole community in circle around them, and they were considered married. If you are looking for an alternative but ever so romantic marriage scene, this may be it.

But let's talk about the edible parts of linden. The flowers are best known as herbal nectar sweet infusions that are calming and soothing. If you know linden only from store bought tea bags, you have no idea what you are missing. Linden flowers only shortly, so don't postpone foraging for it. The bees will tell you when it's time. I promise you, it's worth it. As with all flowers, make sure you have had at least 24 hours of rain free, sunny weather to enjoy maximum aroma.

Use them fresh or dry them in a dry, well-ventilated place. They will dry quite quickly and be ready and crisp in only a couple of days. Don't forget to sniff the aroma when you happen to pass.

Pictured above with the flowers are not the leaves, but the bracts that are harvested with the flowers. They are there to help spread the seeds, once the flowers have transformed into seeds. When we talk of the linden flowers, what we really mean is the flowers plus the bracts.

Linden flowers are a classic herbal infusion, but there are more options. When steaming vegetables, try adding linden flowers to the steaming water. Make a syrup. Infuse wine or almond milk with the flowers (linden + almonds = heaven!).

I already wrote about the young, heart-shaped leaves being edible in spring. They have the crunch of iceberg lettuce, but with more nutrition. You can also dry them and grind into flour. It's gluten free, nutritious and tasty (I worked in a health food store for 5 years, and when it comes to gluten free, it's nice to have options that don't result in sponge-like foods or bring you closer to bankruptcy).

And after the flowers, the seeds come. When you roast and dry them, and grind them, they are a bit like carob, slight chocolate flavoured. Delicious in home made chai or mocha. Something to look forward to in September.

Enjoy your linden tree!

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Wild edibles: How to eat rapeseed leaves and flowers (and how to use the seeds)

26/6/2013

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In this video I explain how rapeseed can be eaten: the flowers, the greens, and what you can do with the seeds. It's a very common wild edible here!

Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is also known as Rape, Oilseed Rape, Rapa, Rappi, Rapaseed.
Dutch: Koolzaad
French:Colza
German: Raps, Reps, Lewat

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Wildflower lemonade for Midsummer!

19/6/2013

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Cat's ear (Hypochaeris radicata)
Other names: Flatweed, False dandelion
Dutch: Gewoon biggenkruid
French: Hypochaeris radicata
German: Gewöhnliche Ferkelkraut
Italian: Cosci Vecchi

Here's a video of my kids making a healthy cat's ear flower lemonade for midsummer. You can use the same recipe for dandelion flowers or elder flowers.
Happy summer solstice!

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Wild edibles: How to identify and eat cat's ear /flatweed / false dandelion

17/6/2013

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Cat's ear (Hypochaeris radicata)
Other names: Flatweed, False dandelion
Dutch: Gewoon biggenkruid
French: Hypochaeris radicata
German: Gewöhnliche Ferkelkraut
Italian: Cosci Vecchi

In this video I talk about cat's ear, how you can tell it apart from dandelion and how it can be used as a wild edible: the roots, the leaves, the flower buds and the flowers.

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Wild medicine: How to make a plantain poultice, the right way

4/6/2013

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Foraging has its own challenges. Thorns, needles, rocks, mosquitos, wasps. But the good thing is: we are never lost, as there are so many healing weeds around. I'm sharing this recipe with you because it helped me countless times. And there's only one ingredient needed.

Mind you, it's a rather special ingredient. It acts as a sedative, anaesthetic, alterative, antiseptic, anti-viral, anti-toxic ,anti-histamin, and anti-inflammatory. And all of that in one plant.

But does it get arrogant? No. Under all circumstances it keeps its humbleness. It gets walked on, and feels fine about that. And it grows everywhere, so we can use it.

It's plantain. Plantago. Yes, the one growing under your feet.
Dutch: weegbree - French: plantain - German: Wegerich - Spanish: plantago

Here's what you need:
a handful of plantain leaves
a mortar and pestle

Crush the leaves until the juice comes out. Apply directly on the skin and cover with a bandage/piece of cloth. Leave on the skin for at least 30 minutes. Repeat as often as necessary.

I know, most of us don't happen to carry a mortar and pestle with them in the field. So alternatively, you can either rub it on the skin, crush it with a stone or chew it. This will break off some of the plant's cell walls. Apply wherever needed.

Do not just cover a wound/rash with whole leaves, the cell walls need to be broken down before the juice with the active ingredients can do its work.

Both narrow-leaved (Plantago lanceolata) and broad-leaved plantain (Plantago major) can be used. Plantain is a highly effective first aid herb, but too often overlooked. So next time you walk on it, take a closer look. It may come in handy one day.

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Wild Plant Forager Q&A session

Give the gift that keeps giving: DIY seed packets.

Wild Plant Forager Manifesto

Wild food recipe: grain free granola with foraged nuts and fruits

Treasures from the sea: how to harvest and dry your own seaweed

Foraging linden: which parts are edible, and how to use them?

Wild edibles: How to eat rapeseed leaves and flowers (and how to use the seeds)

Wildflower lemonade for Midsummer!

Wild edibles: How to identify and eat cat's ear /flatweed / false dandelion

Wild medicine: How to make a plantain poultice, the right way

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